Italian food is now eaten all over the world. However, in the eyes of Italians, especially chefs, much of it is not Italian food.

In an effort to set the world's Italian cuisine on the right path, the Academia Barilla, a food academy in the northern Italian city of Parma, has issued a 10-point code of Italian cuisine for foreigners. The academy hopes that this will serve as a guide to prevent the creation of "horror" Italian food.

Some of the 10 rules may be painful for Japanese people. Let me introduce some of them.

Don't put ketchup on pasta. This is an act that makes Italians terribly uncomfortable. Academia Barilla defines this as an "unforgivable sin. Gennaro Contaldo, author of many books on Italian cuisine, explains the use of ketchup as follows: "I am not a ketchup person.

Gennaro Contaldo, a prolific author on Italian cuisine, explains the use of ketchup: "I like good ketchup, but its use is for chips. But its use should be limited to chips.

As a Japanese who invented "Spaghetti Neapolitan," a pasta dish that boldly uses ketchup, this advice is painful to hear.


Here is another one.

Pasta and risotto should not be served as a side dish to other dishes. This is a sacrilege against pasta.

When I first visited England in the 1970s, I found that some menus used pasta and risotto as a side dish. Fortunately, such menus are now almost extinct.

Let's hope Contaldo never visits Japan. In Japan, even in 2013, there are still many dishes that use spaghetti as a "garnish. For example, if you buy a hamburger steak bento or menchikatsu bento at a bento shop, you will often find spaghetti Neapolitan as a side dish.


Whenever I saw such eccentric sushi as "Spider Roll" or "Caterpillar Roll" in foreign countries, I used to say angrily, "This is not sushi! I used to get so angry. However, I had no idea that I had desecrated Italian cuisine. I am really sorry.


Let me quote one more. Spaghetti Bolognese is one of the most popular Italian dishes in the world. But in Bologna, they use tagliatelle instead of spaghetti.



Academia Barilla explains

It may seem like a small detail, but in Italian cuisine, combining the right kind of pasta with the right sauce is considered sacred. But in Italian cuisine, combining the right kind of pasta with the right sauce is considered sacred.

The association's 10 rules are as follows. I see! Some of them make sense and some of them are not, but it might be a good idea to know them when you travel to Italy.

Pasta and risotto should not be served as side dishes. This is sacrilegious.

As mentioned above. It hurts my ears....

2. there is no pasta menu in Italian cuisine that uses poultry meat.

The author just ate "Japanese pasta with chicken meat and mushrooms" purchased at a convenience store yesterday. I am deeply sorry for what I have done to the Italian people (but I will probably eat it again next week). 3.

3. no Italian restaurant uses red and white checkered tablecloths.

This is a common sight in Italian restaurants in the US. I don't think you see it much in Japan.


Do not add oil when boiling pasta. Oil is supposed to be added after draining the pasta.

This is also supposed to be a piece of advice for Americans. I think there are relatively many Americans who believe that if you boil pasta with oil, the pasta will not stick to each other.

5. use tagliatelle, not spaghetti, for the correct Bolognese pasta
As mentioned above. But apparently even Italians are using spaghetti more and more these days.

6. espresso is to be drunk after a meal. Cappuccino is something you drink at breakfast.

This seems unrelated to the Japanese. I have never seen anyone in Japan drinking espresso while eating pasta...I think.


Fettuccine Alfredo" is not found in Italy.

Fettuccine Alfredo" is a pasta dish with lots of butter and parmesan cheese. Indeed, this dish was created by a restaurant in Rome, Italy. An American traveler popularized it in his home country, the United States. However, few people in Italy know about this menu item.


Few Italians know what a "Caesar Salad" is.

This is a menu created in North America by Caesar Cardini, who was born in Italy. However, no Italians know this menu. 9.

Do not pour tomato ketchup or tomato sauce over pasta.

As mentioned above. Pouring ketchup over egg dishes is also considered vulgar. An Italian omelette is very tasty with ketchup. But, patience...


10. they want you to respect the tradition of Italian cuisine

They want you to respect the traditions of Italian cuisine and follow what the Italian Mamma tells you.

Mamma has been taught by her grandmother, grandmother by her great-grandmother, and great-grandmother by her great-great-grandmother. These teachings have all been tested and proven over hundreds of years. If you follow the teachings, you will never have bad food. This, they say, is the heart of Italian cuisine.

Finally, Accademia Barilla has the following message for foreigners: "Eat Italian food with people you care about.

I want you to eat Italian food with the people you love. It is the meaning of life and the meaning of loving your family.